Chapter 160 Chaos (Supplement) "You've come to demand an explanation on his behalf..."

In the western Qingqiu Mountains, the mountains and forests are shrouded in mist, and both the main roads and the small paths are shrouded in a vast expanse of mist.

The fox people coming and going busily set up lampstands throughout the city, lit foxfires, and illuminated the surroundings to prevent people from getting lost.

Amidst the white mist, several people carrying fox-fire lanterns, reached out and inserted them into their stands, chatting casually as they tapped them.

"This fog is really strange. It was sunny yesterday and there was no rain. How come there is such a thick fog today?"

The slightly older man glanced at him and whispered, "It's definitely related to the Ancestor. Many people saw it yesterday—a purple light streaked across the sky and disappeared into the back mountain. Who else but her could have such an ability?"

"You are young and probably don't know that after the Ancestor went down the mountain to fight the Demon Lord, he returned to the mountain in the same way, and the next day this sudden fog appeared..."

He looked around, his voice barely audible: "I overheard the elders discussing something earlier. They said that because the Ancestor was seriously injured and his spiritual veins were severely damaged, he absorbed most of Qingqiu's spiritual energy to heal, which caused the illusions to multiply..."

The other two couldn't help but gasp, saying, "Even Mingzu has been defeated, and considering what happened in the Demon Capital yesterday... If they lead the rebellion, won't innocent people be implicated? We never said we wanted to rebel!"

The others were also still shaken: "Who could have known? Luckily, they didn't rush into the Demon Capital directly, but chose to sound the petition drum and follow the rules..."

The more he talked, the more guilty he became, and the more frequently he tapped the lamp stand.

"It's so annoying! Why are we worrying about this? Life and death are just a matter of a word from them. Did King Qingping consult anyone about the fox clan's rebellion? Who knew about it before yesterday? He only asked the elders!"

Another person spat, "He's become increasingly autocratic in recent years. Before, he would consult everyone's opinions on whether or not to plant peach trees in the city, but now that they're about to rebel, he's keeping quiet!"

"Is that rumor true?" one of them couldn't help but lean closer, hesitating to speak.

"What rumors?" A clear female voice approached softly and asked.

He clicked his tongue and turned to say, "I heard that before he went to war, Lord Nine Stars and all the princesses and princes tried to stop him, but he... Princess Nine Nine Nine!"

When you get close enough, even through the thin white mist, you can clearly see the face of the person you're about to meet.

The person who arrived was Qiu Tong.

She landed gracefully on her sword, her figure light and agile. On the sword, which shimmered with a faint light, sat a disheveled yet serene figure. He gazed at her silently, his gaze so oppressive—who else but the Prince of Qingping could possess such a commanding presence?

The three men's knees buckled instantly, and they hurriedly grabbed the lamp stand for support. In the chaos, the foxfire on the stand suddenly lit up, illuminating their faces clearly.

Seeing their flustered expressions, Qiu Tong was not surprised. She simply glanced at Prince Qingping, her eyes flickered, and she raised her voice to confirm the rumor.

“That’s right. Mother and the others did try to stop him, but Father insisted on going his own way, which led to this nerve-wracking situation today… As the king of the clan, he should naturally put the interests of everyone first. He has done wrong, and we will not cover it up. We must bring him back to face the consequences.”

The Prince of Qingping was indeed bound to the sword, and given his disheveled appearance, the group was largely convinced, and their feelings were quite complex.

Qiu Tong then said, "I need to take him back to the palace to confess his crimes first. I wonder if the elders are in the city today?"

A hint of composure appeared between her brows, and she spoke with remarkable clarity, quite unlike her usual innocent and mischievous nature. The group was stunned for a moment before they came to their senses and replied, "Such a major event occurred yesterday, and the council hall was brightly lit. The elders did not sleep all night and are probably still discussing it there now."

Qiu Tong nodded: "Thank you both."

She stepped onto the sword again, took Prince Qingping with her, and left. Their figures disappeared into the white mist, but instead of going to the council hall, she turned west halfway and returned to the palace in a few moments.

With the elders absent, she naturally held the reins of power in the palace.

She wanted to release them, and no one dared to object.

“You’ve become much more astute after only a few months of training away from home,” said Prince Qingping, Jingrong.

Qiu Tong's face was cold and hard, and she still didn't look at him: "I can't compare to Father. In just a few months, he has developed such earth-shattering wisdom. I can't even begin to compare with him."

Prince Qingping's eyes flickered slightly, quickly seizing on the oddity in her words, and he pondered it to himself: "Only a few months?"

Qiu Tong snorted coldly, thinking he was just sighing, and said, "Instead of talking about me, Father should think carefully about how to clean up the mess we've brought on the Fox Clan!"

Qingping King stared at her retreating figure, still pondering those four words from before, but said nonchalantly, "How else can this end? At most, they'll just kill me. Although Ruxian isn't exactly a saint, she's proud and wouldn't stoop to annihilating her entire clan."

Qiu Tong bit her lip, finally turning around to glare angrily. She disliked Qingping Wang's actions and mannerisms, but was also ashamed of his self-deprecation.

"The demon race is not as prosperous as the human race. Everyone cherishes their life and considers life precious, let alone the king of a race. When did you begin to value your own life so little! Father, where is your integrity?!"

The Prince of Qingping's eyes remained eerily calm: "If you had gone through what I've gone through, you would know that fate isn't that important; it can be changed. Flowers bloom again, so why can't people?"

Qiu Tong shook her head repeatedly, her eyes filled with absurdity: "I have nothing to say to you!"

The two stopped their swords in front of the small jade gate in the palace. Many guards were patrolling around. When they saw Qiu Tong land, they quickly bowed. But when they saw Prince Qingping behind her, they were surprised.

Qiu Tong was eager to see her mother and had no desire to exchange pleasantries with them. She said bluntly, "Prince Qingping has confessed his crimes and released my mother and sisters. Otherwise, you would have ended up like my father... I don't want to take action."

Qiu Tong was unsure of herself. Knowing she was only a novice, she sheathed her sword, held it to her chest, and glared at everyone, displaying the demeanor of a master. In addition, the Qingping King had a great reputation, and everyone was intimidated by his silence, so they hurriedly unlocked the door for her.

Qiu Tong hadn't expected things to go so smoothly, so she led Prince Qingping inside.

Xiaoyumen is not an ordinary prison, but the treasure trove of the fox king, which can be used to store treasures or to imprison people.

Normally, if Qiu Tong and her other older brothers and sisters made a mistake, they would be locked up inside to reflect on their actions. She knew this place very well and found the place where they were being held in no time.

Of the eight siblings, only six are currently trapped inside. Qingyao is wearily treating one of her younger sisters.

This place isn't exactly shabby, but it's definitely not a good place to recuperate. Looking around, Qiu Tong felt a lump in her throat.

"Big sister, second brother..."

She rushed forward, her steps unsteady. Seeing her arrive, the crowd's expressions were filled with anxiety: "Qiu Tong, didn't we tell you to go further away, back to the human realm? How come you've been captured too?!"

Qiu Tong remained silent, only looking behind her.

The Tai'a sword arrived as summoned, tightly binding Prince Qingping to his body, its blade resting against his neck, gleaming coldly.

Qingyao's eyes narrowed, and she asked in great surprise, "You made this?"

Qiu Tong nodded and recounted the events in the Demon Capital in detail. Upon hearing this, everyone fell even more silent, but the way they looked at Prince Qingping was exactly the same as Qiu Tong's.

Confusion, regret, anger, indifference.

Just a few days ago, their father personally injured them so badly that they were imprisoned here in Xiaoyumen, and two of the sisters' fates are still unknown...

They looked silently at Prince Qingping, but he only smiled and then slowly closed his eyes.

"I brought him back to ask everyone what we should do with him?"

Qiu Tong was lucky enough to bring the person back halfway, but she lacked experience and couldn't think of a more thorough solution.

Qingyao frowned: "My mother told me that once the Seven Gods Record technique is broken, it can be restored in a day. If we can bring my father back, we should imprison him in the imperial prison and pierce his ribs with the Heavenly Rope to seal his two main meridians..."

Everyone looked over, their gazes more complex than ever before. But Prince Qingping kept his eyes closed, as if he were detached from the matter and completely indifferent to their decision.

Qingyao's breath trembled, her eyes slightly red. She turned and performed a fox clan salute towards the sky before turning back to look at everyone.

“His actions this time must be accounted for, both to the fox clan and to us… Qiu Tong and I will take him to prison. You go and rescue Mother, and also check if Sixth Brother and the others are out of danger.”

Qiu Tong nodded and quickly went to the compass array behind the door to fiddle with it. In no time, she opened the "prison gate".

The group helped each other out and parted ways in front of Xiaoyu Gate.

Inside the imperial prison, Prince Qingping was locked up. His handsome face finally showed signs of aging. He looked at his eldest and youngest daughters, who had joined forces to send him here. His eyes were filled with the heaviness that came with experience and maturity.

"Let's go. The victor is king and the loser is villain. I accept today's outcome, but I have no regrets about the rebellion. It's just that Lin Feiran was a variable in the plan. Otherwise, with my scheming, the Demon Capital would have been in my hands long ago."

Qingyao finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Having been the King of Qingqiu for so long, isn't that enough? Do you really enjoy ruling the demon realm that much? When did you develop this 'grand ambition' that you don't even care about your wife and daughters?"

Prince Qingping closed his eyes again: "In the past, I did not like power, but as people live longer, they can't help but try new things. Once you've tasted power, you can never let it go."

You're all too young, what do you know? Let's go.

Qingyao still didn't understand and continued arguing with him. Qiutong had talked to him a lot along the way, but she was already disheartened and didn't want to say anything more. So she wiped her eyes, picked up the Tai'a sword, and left.

She didn't come to the Imperial Prison often, only knowing that it held the most ferocious criminals of the fox clan.

The fox people are known for their cunning, but they are also very conscious of their lives and rarely commit heinous crimes. Therefore, there are only about ten people in the entire prison.

When she escorted Prince Qingping here earlier, she was focused on him alone and did not notice her surroundings. Now, on the way back, she suddenly noticed a figure moving inside one of the magic arrays.

She hadn't paid any attention at first, but the man was eating on the ground, and his actions were quite eye-catching, so she took a second look.

It was those two eyes that made her stop in her tracks.

Qiu Tong strode to the front of the magic circle, knelt on one knee, and carefully examined the person, her eyes filled with disbelief.

He was a disheveled male cultivator, dressed in rags. His hands were pierced by the Heavenly Rope and twisted behind him, so he could only kneel on the ground. Behind him, two spiritual veins on his spine were pulled out, stretching to the ground like long tails. In this way, he was almost no different from a cripple.

"Third Uncle..."

Qiu Tong's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet he still heard it.

He stopped eating, looked up, but his eyes were very unfocused. He tilted his head and stared at her for a long time, as if he didn't recognize who she was. He just gave a silly smile and then continued to eat.

Qiu Tong suddenly became confused.

In his previous life, his third uncle launched a rebellion, secretly joining forces with the fox clan who shared his path to ambush his father and mother, severely injuring them and locking them in the palace. He then captured the rest of his siblings and ascended to the throne as the new king of the fox clan.

However, he was too greedy and his rule was lax. After he took the throne, the fox clan suffered greatly. Even after the chaos was rectified, his mother was seriously injured and fell ill, and soon after, she passed away.

This was the chaos within the fox clan, and a deep thorn planted in her heart.

Third Uncle is highly respected in the clan, possesses profound cultivation, and enjoys the deep trust of the elders. Qiu Tong was originally worried that if her father were captured, there would be no one to oppose him in the future, and how would she fight against him? But now... she no longer needs to worry about it.

When and why was Uncle San arrested and imprisoned?

Qiu Tong suddenly stood up, her brows furrowed tightly, her heart pounding like a drum. She then strode outside; she had to find her mother and get some answers.

...

As the sun reached its zenith, Lin Feiran, having searched the entire Demon Capital, asked many people, and noted down a great deal, finally felt somewhat tired. He slowly walked under the shade of a tree, lost in thought.

She wanted to know who wrote those runes; she didn't believe it was solely the work of esoteric Buddhism.

The esoteric sect has always wanted to find the spiritual veins. To this end, they even went so far as to close their outposts in the demon realm and send out all their manpower. At such a critical moment, they were willing to send a Skywalker to assist King Qingping. There must be other hidden reasons behind this.

Just as she was wondering, she suddenly thought of someone she had been ignoring.

Wei Changzai.

His appearance in the demon realm was no coincidence, nor was it due to Qiu Tong. Without Zhang Chunhe's consent, he wouldn't even be able to enter the demon realm. Furthermore, his good master made him do things that were not beneficial.

Besides, she knew him far too well.

A person like Wei Changzai will not go out unless forced by someone. Even if the whole street is on fire, he will only stay in his room meditating and will not look at it at all, let alone wander around the street.

That very night, she unexpectedly encountered him fighting with Xun Feifei in a dark alley. According to Xun Feifei, the two met in the street.

Wei Changzai must have done something on his way out that led him to encounter Xun Feifei on the way, and then, for some unfounded reason, he drew his sword against Xun Feifei.

This was just Lin Feiran's speculation, but she was almost certain that Wei Changzai must have done something.

The only one who could sway him was Zhang Chunhe.

So who is behind Zhang Chunhe?

Could Daohe Palace also be connected to Esoteric Buddhism?

With this question in mind, Lin Feiran went out to visit the Demon Capital to find evidence.

The demon race has always been open-minded, and there are almost no people like Wei Changzai who would rather cover their necks completely. He didn't know that on the day he inscribed the curse, despite being very careful, he attracted some attention.

It's a strange temptation.

The more layers were wrapped, the more people wanted to see what was inside. The people of Shanghai were bold, and several of them peeked inside.

Lin Feiran visited seven people in a morning and they all recognized him, but the locations were scattered and there was no set pattern to follow.

It wasn't until an old woman who asked spoke up that the conversation finally began.

“Your Excellency, I have seen this person before. He was wrapped up tightly from head to toe, with a collar so high that it almost covered his Adam's apple. He was carrying a sword on his back. I have never seen such a way of wrapping myself up in the last one or two hundred years. Once I saw him, I couldn’t take my eyes off him!”

I kept staring at him, at his waist, at his buttocks...

We, the Ginseng Clan, have spent our lives learning how to conceal our forms. He was very vigilant, but his cultivation level was not as high as mine, so he did not notice me.

I followed him involuntarily for two blocks, and then watched him climb a willow tree, busy himself there for a long time before finally coming down.

Lin Feiran remained silent for a long time, her lips moving as she thought to herself that the demon race was truly full of hidden talents. She finally asked, "What is he doing in the tree?"

The old woman shook her head: "As soon as he came down from the tree, I followed him. Who knows what we did? But it looks like he was carving something on it, and a lot of wood chips fell off."

Having received this answer, Lin Feiran was almost certain that Wei Changzai was also involved.

Walking under the shade of the trees, Lin Feiran closed the book in her hand, ate at a steamed bun shop for half an hour, and rested before returning to Xingzhi Palace and going directly into the palace garden where Ruxian was used to make medicine.

As soon as they landed, they heard Xuanzhen and Biqing laughing and joking from inside the room.

Lin Feiran pushed open the door and entered; the room suddenly fell silent.

The room was enormous, with beds in every corner along the walls. Xuanzhen and Biqing were sitting on the right, letting the Ginseng Boy change their medicine while they played leaf games.

On the left, Wei Changzai lay on the couch like a puppet, his dark eyes staring blankly at the roof beam, as if lost in thought. Beside him, Shen Tongzi was administering acupuncture.

When Biqing and Xuanzhen saw her, they immediately breathed a sigh of relief and their voices rose.

Biqing said with lingering fear, "That scared me to death! I thought Xun Feifei had come! He doesn't let us play these games. Feiran, you've come at the right time, come join us!"

On the other side, Wei Changzai had already sat up, his dark eyes staring straight at her without saying a word.

Biqing already knew that there were no good people in Daohe Palace, so she deliberately said loudly, "That blockhead over there has even learned to stare at people!"

Lin Feiran found it amusing, but still nodded slightly to Bi Qing and the others before turning to walk towards Wei Changzai.

At that moment, his eyes seemed to ripple, and tiny sparks of starlight lit up, silently spreading in his dark eyes.

Because he suddenly stood up, the ginseng boy's hand was unsteady, and the silver needle did not penetrate, leaving a faint bloodstain on his arm.

Under his expectant gaze, Lin Feiran gradually approached. Her brows were slightly furrowed, but instead of the concern he expected, they carried an unfamiliar consideration and a hint of barely perceptible suspicion.

"..." He pursed his lips and looked at her.

Lin Feiran walked up to him, deftly pulled out a booklet, turned to a page, and spoke without hesitation.

“I’ve investigated. You have other purposes for coming to the Demon Capital this time. I’m asking you, you have to answer honestly: did you participate in carving some of those runes that appeared in the city earlier?”

Wei Changzai could hardly describe his feelings at that moment; he only felt his heart clench and a profound sense of bewilderment envelop him.

After a long silence, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice.

"So, you've come here to confront him on his behalf."